Gary Glenn, head of the Campaign for Michigan Families, said in an e-mail release that Kent County's "principled stand sends a strong message nationwide that grass-roots conservatives will not embrace liberals who want to abandon the GOP platform's commitment to traditional family values in favor of promoting homosexual activists' incremental assault on religious freedom, marriage and the family."

Glenn did not immediately return telephone calls for further comment.

During the last legislative session, Huntsman came out in favor of civil unions for gay and other nontraditional couples as a way for them to share the legal benefits of marriage.

He has said the GOP nationally must focus on topics that matter most to voters to recoup from last November's losses, such as the economy and health care.

Roskelley said the governor's position on civil unions hasn't been affected by the latest controversy.

Huntsman "feels like this is an issue of equality, something that the Republican Party has long advocated since its inception and first elected president, Lincoln. It certainly reflects the Republican value of individual dignity," she said. For him, "the future of the Republican Party is being a party of ideas and solutions and inclusiveness rather than being rhetorical or moralistic. For the governor, this is an important issue."

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